Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तानापतत आलोक्य विमानस्थान्सुविस्मितः । उपसृत्यांतिके वेगादपृच्छं गगने स्थितान्

Transliteration

tānāpatata ālokya vimānasthānsuvismitaḥ | upasṛtyāṃtike vegādapṛcchaṃ gagane sthitān

Translation

ବିମାନରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେମାନେ ଅବତରଣ କରୁଥିବା ଦେଖି ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବିସ୍ମିତ ହେଲି; ଶୀଘ୍ର ନିକଟକୁ ଯାଇ, ଆକାଶରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ମୁଁ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ କଲି।

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• आपततः: descending
• आपततः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'falling/descending' (qualifying 'तान्')

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); 'having seen'

• विमान-स्थान्: standing in the aerial car
• विमान-स्थान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध: 'standing in the vimāna')

• सुविस्मितः: greatly astonished
• सुविस्मितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + विस्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (speaker as subject)

• उपसृत्य: having approached
• उपसृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive); 'having approached'

• अन्तिके: nearby
• अन्तिके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; 'near' (as locus)

• वेगात्: from haste/quickly
• वेगात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; हेतौ—'due to speed/haste'

• अपृच्छम्: I asked
• अपृच्छम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect); उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गगने: in the sky
• गगने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्थितान्: standing
• स्थितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'standing' (qualifying 'तान्')

Speaker

Narrator (first-person voice in the passage; exact attribution not in excerpt)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva’s attendants (śiva-kiṅkara/śivānuga)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator, astonished, steps forward and looks up as the vimāna descends; some attendants remain poised in the sky while he raises his hands in inquiry, the scene charged with imminent revelation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-kiṅkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sincere seeker responds to divine signs with reverent inquiry; wonder becomes a doorway to instruction and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse transitions into dialogue by introducing the narrator’s question.